Should You Start Washing Your Face Twice in a Row? This Dermatologist Says Yes!

Time to get squeaky clean.

Committing to washing your face at night (and not falling asleep coated in foundation) can be one of the more difficult beauty rules out there. That's why the notion of double-cleansing—as in, washing your face not once, but twice—might strike you as particularly implausible. That is, until the night you finally muster up some motivation and give it a go, waking up with skin that's softer, brighter, and just plain cleaner than you've ever seen it.

Believe it or not, double-cleansing has been practiced for centuries in Japan. Yet the supreme cleaning powers of this ancient technique are only just beginning to be fully recognized stateside. "My patients with oily skin have been doing this for years," says Dr. Ellen Marmur, founder of Marmur Medical and author of Simple Skin Beauty. "But now I notice even my patients with dry skin are trying it."

To be clear, it's not just a matter of a second go 'round with your normal cleanser. To really reap the benefits of double-cleansing, it's important to use an oil-based formula before your regular face wash. "An oil-based cleanser will dissolve sebum and remove surface impurities," says Dr. Marmur. "The best contain botanical oils such as olive, sunflower, or jojoba, which do a good job at dissolving makeup residue without leaving skin feeling dry and tight." Thanks to its detoxifying and hydrating abilities, the jojoba oil-rich Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean Deep Cleansing Milk is one of Dr. Marmur's tried-and-true favorites.

As for the formula you use in round two, your everyday face wash works just fine. Consider this your opportunity to target your biggest skin concerns head on. "Incorporate a cleanser that addresses a specific skin concern like dryness, dullness, or acne," says Dr. Marmur. The purpose of this second pass is to truly cleanse the skin after your oil-based product has rinsed away dirt and grime. Speaking of, two-step cleansing is particularly important for urban-dwellers regularly exposed to environmental pollutants—to our fellow New Yorkers, that means you!

Though true devotees practice double-cleansing in the morning and at night, beginners should go easy on their skin for the first few weeks. "Try it just at night first so you don't risk too much dryness," advises Dr. Marmur. But even if you stick to evening cleansing only, you'll see a huge difference in the tone, clarity, and overall oomph of your complexion within a matter of days.